Carroll's (1963) model of school learning and Bloom's (1968) mastery learning both address theoretical and practical aspects of the time factor in school learning via an appeal to diagnostic-prescriptive teaching. The design of instructional environments and materials--particularly as advocated by Glaser (1976)--represents the mechanism to bring…

A picture can be interpreted in different ways by various persons. There is often a difference between a picture's denotation (literal meaning), connotation (associative meaning), and private associations. Two studies were conducted in order to observe the private associations that pictures awaken in people. One study deals with associations made…

The purpose of this paper is to sensitize instructional message designers to the stereotypical signals which may be inherent in computer clip-art selections. A rationale is presented for the power of message design, and the differences between gender equality and gender equity are discussed. Several computer clip-art libraries were analyzed, and…

The interactive multimedia application described here attempts to provide learners and teachers with a common frame of reference for communicating about visual media. The system is based on a list of concepts related to composition, and illustrates those concepts with photographs, paintings, graphic designs, and motion picture scenes. The ability…

This article discusses psychophysical aspects of color perception and critically examines the advice on color use in screen design found in non-empirical literature. There are four main characteristics of color: hue, brightness, saturation, and contrast. In multimedia screen design, color can be used to link logically-related data; differentiate…

Designed to update "The Institute Bibliography 1990" and its 1991 supplement, this bibliography includes all items submitted by members of the Institute of Educational Technology (IET) that are relevant to the area of educational technology. Although this is an update to the 1990 edition, it contains some new entries from 1989 onwards.…

To learn more about the motivational factors of adult learners, data were collected regarding the instructional motivation perceptions of adults in a variety of learning environments. Subjects in the first phase of the study were a mixture of 183 graduate and undergraduate students enrolled in credit and noncredit education courses of 4…

A perspective is presented for designing instruction in metacognition, drawing on how human beings acquire metacognitive skills and how these skills are interwoven with other thinking skills. An instructional designer must consider the dynamic and integrative nature of metacognition. Traditionally, learning theories, instructional theories, and…

A study, considering the needs of both classroom teachers and university-based instructors, examined how teachers delineated thematic instruction and translated that conception into practice. A total of 20 teachers, representing 17 classrooms, were observed as they implemented thematic instruction. Team-teaching was observed in two classrooms with…

This paper offers a definition for the word "effective" and then discusses implications of research on the environment in relation to designing effective instruction. Similarities and differences involved in designing effective instruction are presented across four different contexts: K-12, higher education, human services, and…

This paper discusses interactivity enabled by two-way technologies providing real-time exchanges of audio, video, text, and graphical information among distributed participants, as one of distance learning's primary identifying characteristics. Background is provided on interaction agents, including three types of instructional…

This paper develops a new conception of organizational knowledge management as "knowledge ecology." The Socrates electronic learning environment is described as an example of a knowledge ecosystem for education and training. The Socrates program was developed as a knowledge management system, viewing classrooms as organizations for…

The text serves as a guide and comprehensive summary of tips for building collaborative school cultures. The focus extends beyond the typical attempts at parent involvement to the more significant goal of promoting true collaborative partnerships. It features a parent survey as a means for educators to understand parent perceptions and identify…

The purpose of this study was to test the feasibility of using a model adapted from the instructional design and technology (ID&T) taxonomy model proposed by the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) Definitions and Terminology Committee to build an ID&T knowledge base. The model was tested by mapping a random…

This review of the literature of the effects of the physical setting on instructional goals posits that the physical setting in which instruction occurs will affect learners' behavior, whether or not it is intended to. These effects occur in two ways--directly, by the behavior the setting allows, and indirectly or symbolically, by the messages the…